https://www.startribune.com/leinenkugels-brewery-wisconsin-closing-molson-coors/601176876
Dealt with a lot of people who worked there through the years. Pretty disappointing move by Molson Coors but hardly surprising. Leinenkugel family should have known this day would come.
https://www.startribune.com/leinenkugels-brewery-wisconsin-closing-molson-coors/601176876
I'm so sorry to hear.
I have been cleaning out a room in my house that was basically storage the last 3 decades and just last week I threw in the recycle bin a 30 year old empty bottle of Leinenkugel I found.
I saved the bottle for reasons unknown.
That is bad news. Enjoyed most of their products especially Honey Weiss in summer. Made a special pilgrimage to Chippewa Falls brewery and gift shop about 10 years ago. Really miss Leinie Lodge at Fiserv.
(https://www.meijer.com/content/dam/meijer/product/0003/41/0048/57/0003410048574_1_A1C1_1200.png)
Quote from: Spaniel with a Short Tail on November 06, 2024, 05:40:53 PMThat is bad news. Enjoyed most of their products especially Honey Weiss in summer. Made a special pilgrimage to Chippewa Falls brewery and gift shop about 10 years ago. Really miss Leinie Lodge at Fiserv.
(https://www.meijer.com/content/dam/meijer/product/0003/41/0048/57/0003410048574_1_A1C1_1200.png)
Local breweries muscled into their spots in the Milwaukee market and Leinie's image has become mostly associated with their Shandies.
Molson Coors has done a terrible job with the brand for the past decade or so and the family hasn't been actively involved in awhile. Kind of a shame but like I said, not surprising. This was always the concern of the folks in Chippewa Falls.
This is terrible. Am I missing something or does Coors/Molson own a beer better than Lienenkugel Summer Shandy? I'm not a fan of Blue Moon.
Quote from: MuggsyB on November 06, 2024, 06:20:32 PMThis is terrible. Am I missing something or does Coors/Molson own a beer better than Lienenkugel Summer Shandy? I'm not a fan of Blue Moon.
Eye of the beholder and all that jazz. Blue Moon was pretty trendy before the craft brew craze really picked up steam. But I agree, not a fan
Quote from: MuggsyB on November 06, 2024, 06:20:32 PMThis is terrible. Am I missing something or does Coors/Molson own a beer better than Lienenkugel Summer Shandy? I'm not a fan of Blue Moon.
They own the Terrapin brands...so yes.
But Rico is right. They have largely ignored the Leinies brands lately except the Shandys. And part of that is understandable. The early microbrews (if that's what Leineys could be called) were groundbreaking at the time but have largely been bypassed by better stuff. (Sam Adams falls in that category too.)
Quote from: The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole on November 06, 2024, 06:37:40 PMThey own the Terrapin brands...so yes.
But Rico is right. They have largely ignored the Leinies brands lately except the Shandys. And part of that is understandable. The early microbrews (if that's what Leineys could be called) were groundbreaking at the time but have largely been bypassed by better stuff. (Sam Adams falls in that category too.)
I always thought of Leinie's as a regional beer more than a craft beer. Red Label has been around forever and was kind of the local beer of the northwestern part of the state.
The Miller money let them add the Honey Weiss and other extensions. I know the efforts to go national didn't go as planned but that doesn't really surprise me.
Quote from: The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole on November 06, 2024, 06:37:40 PMThey own the Terrapin brands...so yes.
But Rico is right. They have largely ignored the Leinies brands lately except the Shandys. And part of that is understandable. The early microbrews (if that's what Leineys could be called) were groundbreaking at the time but have largely been bypassed by better stuff. (Sam Adams falls in that category too.)
But Lienenkugel is still a great name with a tremendous tradition. And have they ignored their other beers because, as far as I know, they don't have anything that competes with Sammy Adams.
Quote from: Uncle Rico on November 06, 2024, 06:54:42 PMI always thought of Leinie's as a regional beer more than a craft beer. Red Label has been around forever and was kind of the local beer of the northwestern part of the state.
The Miller money let them add the Honey Weiss and other extensions. I know the efforts to go national didn't go as planned but that doesn't really surprise me.
They should have Marzens and Kolsch's?
Quote from: MuggsyB on November 06, 2024, 07:00:36 PMThey should have Marzens and Kolsch's?
They have both..Canoe Paddler and Oktoberfest.
Quote from: Uncle Rico on November 06, 2024, 06:54:42 PMI always thought of Leinie's as a regional beer more than a craft beer.
Yeah, that makes sense.
Quote from: The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole on November 06, 2024, 07:02:51 PMYeah, that makes sense.
Though, I can see why some thought of it as craft beer. I know people that rave about Yuengling and call it a craft beer, so that word has lost all meaning. Always like telling them how the first time I was at PNC in Pittsburgh, I got one for $3
Quote from: The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole on November 06, 2024, 07:02:25 PMThey have both..Canoe Paddler and Oktoberfest.
How good are they realistically? Anywhere near Ayinger? Or Fruh/Reissdorf/Goffel?
Staghorn is a pretty good o-fest.
Quote from: MuggsyB on November 06, 2024, 07:06:12 PMHow good are they realistically? Anywhere near Ayinger? Or Fruh/Reissdorf/Goffel?Coffee?
Staghorn is a pretty good o-fest.
Mediocre but fine if that's all that's available
Quote from: Uncle Rico on November 06, 2024, 07:09:06 PMMediocre but fine if that's all that's available
That's what I assumed. I believe New Glarus is expanding.
Quote from: MuggsyB on November 06, 2024, 07:06:12 PMHow good are they realistically? Anywhere near Ayinger? Or Fruh/Reissdorf/Goffel?
Staghorn is a pretty good o-fest.
There are a bunch of good Octoberfests out there better than Staghorn. (It is probably my favorite style.) Ahnapee Brewing up in Algoma has one of my favorites, but there are others as well.
Wednesday night/bucket night at Angelo's was the best. $5 for 6 reds. I probably only missed a handful throughout my 4 years
Quote from: MuggsyB on November 06, 2024, 07:11:57 PMThat's what I assumed. I believe New Glarus is expanding.
They are. Do wonder when that bubble bursts for them. Maybe it doesn't because they've pulled back to Wisconsin only and out-of-staters love it.
Quote from: swoopem on November 06, 2024, 07:24:35 PMWednesday night/bucket night at Angelo's was the best. $5 for 6 reds. I probably only missed a handful throughout my 4 years
There was a bar I frequented back in the day that had $1 bottles of Red every Friday
Quote from: The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole on November 06, 2024, 07:15:26 PMThere are a bunch of good Octoberfests out there better than Staghorn. (It is probably my favorite style.) Ahnapee Brewing up in Algoma has one of my favorites, but there are others as well.
I'm sure there are. I only buy the Ayinger Marzen if I want to go the O-Fest route.
Quote from: Uncle Rico on November 06, 2024, 07:25:23 PMThere was a bar I frequented back in the day that had $1 bottles of Red every Friday
$1 altbiers???
God bless the Sumerians for inventing 🍺. And the monks for their contributions. I'm having an Orval after a brutal work day.
I echo the statements about MolsonCoors, which is a shame cause under the MillerCoors umbrella in the early 2010s, it was a cherished brand, given a ton of respect, and was a favorite product to work and market for a majority of the marketing and media teams.
Working on/with MillerCoors and being in their HQ in Chicago a lot, I saw tons of the random trinkets and branded items the industry is known for. Leinies had the coolest stuff by far. We had 5-6 different tap handles on our apartment wall, an amazing collection of coozies, and a bunch of other stuff. I'm not a super outdoors or "Up North" aesthetic person, but the stuff just transcended it. It was awesome.
Also, for the shandies and such they became known for, I remember at least a dozen other varieties they had ready but didn't launch for one reason or another and they were fantastic. There was one that I could only describe as a thinner/shandy-esque framboise lambic that was unreal. Was real bummed when it never launched but I can see it not being approachable for the Summer Shandy crowd.
Idiots
Leinies is Northern Wisconsin. We drank it because it was a homie brew. It was OUR beer.
Now, it is the same as Old Style, Strohs, Olympia, Pabst and a host of other beers that are brewed by megabrewers with no sense of the style and taste of the beer.
Quote from: MuggsyB on November 06, 2024, 06:57:51 PMBut Lienenkugel is still a great name with a tremendous tradition. And have they ignored their other beers because, as far as I know, they don't have anything that competes with Sammy Adams.
I loved Batch 19. It was my favorite macrobrew while they were still making it.
It's apparent that they are only interested in brewing lowest common demoninator beers.
Dick Leinenkugel is MU '80. He knew the rare Milwaukee outlet back then to get a quarter barrel of his family's product for parties. Good guy.
The saddest part of this development for me is the loss of the visitors center/lodge in Chippewa Falls. A really cool "up north" vibe.
Quote from: Sir Lawrence on November 07, 2024, 05:13:35 AMDick Leinenkugel is MU '80. He knew the rare Milwaukee outlet back then to get a quarter barrel of his family's product for parties. Good guy.
The saddest part of this development for me is the loss of the visitors center/lodge in Chippewa Falls. A really cool "up north" vibe.
I think they're keeping the Lodge.
Quote from: Sir Lawrence on November 07, 2024, 05:13:35 AMDick Leinenkugel is MU '80. He knew the rare Milwaukee outlet back then to get a quarter barrel of his family's product for parties. Good guy.
The saddest part of this development for me is the loss of the visitors center/lodge in Chippewa Falls. A really cool "up north" vibe.
No way they close that. This is a production shift, not the end of the brand.
Quote from: warriorchick on November 06, 2024, 10:45:53 PMI loved Batch 19. It was my favorite macrobrew while they were still making it.
It's apparent that they are only interested in brewing lowest common demoninator beers.
I never tried that one. :(
Good job, unions!
I miss the old Leinies Limited they made decades ago.
The local news reported that some contract brewing Molson Coors did on State St. will end at year end opening up the extra capacity. 75% of Leinies products are already brewed there. A family member that worked there over 30 years has mentioned that they were brewing Pabst not sure if still true, perhaps Pabst found a cheaper source?
They're keeping the Lodge and pilot brewery open. They were producing very little there. It was mainly just a canning line. Still, it stinks to lose a bit of history.
They're also shutting down the brewery along 43 just north of downtown. That one made Terrapin, Atwater, Hop Valley, and other craft brands they recently sold off.
It's tough sledding in craft beer now.
Sad, one of my favorite beers.
Thank you for the encouraging words.
Molson Coors keeping the brand, moving production to facility in Milwaukee where they have made substantial investment. These decisions get made all the time. However, these decisions get made by far removed financial types who don't have an appreciation for the local history and market dynamics that involve consumer facing products and generally don't factor that into decision making.
https://www.milwaukeemag.com/molson-coors-closing-leinenkugels-breweries-in-milwaukee-chippewa-falls/